Methods of processing electronic files including combined close and delete, and related systems and computer program products

Abstract

Methods may be provided to process an electronic file in memory of an electronic system. A visual representation of the electronic file may be rendered in a window on a display. Responsive to user input designating deletion while the window including the visual representation of the electronic file is open on the display, the window including the visual representation of the electronic file on the display may be closed, and the electronic file may be deleted from the location in the memory.

1 . A method of processing an electronic file in a location in memory of an electronic system, the method comprising:
 rendering a visual representation of the electronic file in a window on a display;   responsive to user input designating deletion while the window including the visual representation of the electronic file is open on the display, closing the window including the visual representation of the electronic file on the display; and   responsive to the user input designating deletion, deleting the electronic file from the location in the memory.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein rendering the visual representation of the electronic file in the window comprises rendering a close symbol in the window, the method further comprising:
 responsive to user input selecting an alternate function, substituting a delete symbol for the close symbol in the window, 
 wherein the user input designating deletion comprises user input selecting the delete symbol in the window. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the user input selecting the alternate function comprises user input holding one or a combination of keys on a keyboard and wherein the user input selecting the delete symbol comprises user input selecting the delete symbol while holding the one or the combination of keys on the keyboard. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user input designating deletion comprises at least one of user input selecting a menu item from a menu bar on the display, and/or user input selecting a button from a tool bar. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electronic file is a first electronic file, wherein the location is a first location in memory, wherein the window is a first window, wherein the user input designating deletion is a first user input designating deletion, and wherein deleting the first electronic file comprises deleting the first electronic file from the first location in the memory and saving the first electronic file in a second location in memory, the method further comprising:
 rendering a visual representation of a second electronic file in a second window on the display; 
 responsive to second user input designating permanent deletion while the second window is open on the display wherein the second user input is different than the first user input, closing the second window presenting the second electronic file; and 
 responsive to the second user input designating permanent deletion while the second window is open on the display, permanently deleting the second electronic file from the memory. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 responsive to user input selecting an alternate function, rendering a visual representation of a delete symbol on the display outside the window including the visual representation of the electronic file, 
 wherein the user input designating deletion comprises user input dragging the window including the visual representation of the electronic file to the visual representation of the delete symbol. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the user input selecting the alternate function comprises user input holding one or a combination of keys on a keyboard and wherein the user input dragging the window comprises user input dragging the window to the visual representation of the delete symbol while holding the one or the combination of keys on the keyboard. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein rendering the visual representation of the electronic file comprises rendering the visual representation of the electronic file in the window on the display using a software application and providing a path of the electronic file defining the location of the electronic file in a file directory system of the memory, and wherein deleting the electronic file comprises deleting the electronic file from the location in the memory using the path of the electronic file. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein deleting the electronic file comprises deleting the electronic file from memory responsive to the user input designating deletion while the window is open on the display and responsive to determining that the user is authorized to delete the file. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the location is a first location in the memory, and wherein deleting the electronic file comprises deleting the electronic file from the first location in the memory and saving the electronic file in a second location in the memory. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein deleting the electronic file comprises permanently deleting the electronic file from the memory. 
     
     
         12 . An electronic system comprising:
 an electronic memory including an electronic file in a location in the electronic memory; and   a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to render a visual representation of the electronic file in a window on a display, close the window including the visual representation of the electronic file on the display responsive to user input designating deletion while the window including the visual representation of the electronic file is open on the display and delete the electronic file from the location in the memory responsive to the user input designating deletion.   
     
     
         13 . The electronic system of  claim 12  wherein the processor is configured to render a close symbol in the window including the visual representation of the electronic file and to substitute a delete symbol for the close symbol in the window responsive to user input selecting an alternate function, and wherein the user input designating deletion comprises user input selecting the delete symbol in the window. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic system of  claim 13  wherein the user input selecting the alternate function comprises user input holding one or a combination of keys on a keyboard and wherein the user input selecting the delete symbol comprises user input selecting the delete symbol while holding the one or the combination of keys on the keyboard. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic system of  claim 12  wherein the user input designating deletion comprises at least one of user input selecting a menu item from a menu bar on the display and/or user input selecting a button from a tool bar. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic system of  claim 12  wherein the electronic file is a first electronic file, wherein the location is a first location in memory, wherein the window is a first window, wherein the user input designating deletion is a first user input designating deletion, and wherein the processor is configured to delete the first electronic file by deleting the first electronic file from the first location in the memory and saving the first electronic file in a second location in memory, render a visual representation of a second electronic file in a second window on the display close the second window presenting the second electronic file responsive to second user input designating permanent deletion while the second window is open on the display wherein the second user input is different than the first user input, and permanently delete the second electronic file from the memory responsive to the second user input designating permanent deletion while the second window is open on the display. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic system of  claim 12  wherein the processor is further configured to render a visual representation of a delete symbol on the display outside the window including the visual representation of the electronic file responsive to user input selecting an alternate function, and wherein the user input designating deletion comprises user input dragging the window including the visual representation of the electronic file to the visual representation of the delete symbol. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic system of  claim 17  wherein the user input selecting the alternate function comprises user input holding one or a combination of keys on a keyboard and wherein the user input dragging the window comprises user input dragging the window to the visual representation of the delete symbol while holding the one or the combination of keys on the keyboard. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic system of  claim 12  wherein the processor is configured to render the visual representation of the electronic file in the window on the display using a software application and provide a path of the electronic file defining the location of the electronic file in a file directory system of the memory, and delete the electronic file from the location in the memory using the path of the electronic file. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic system of  claim 12  wherein the processor is configured to delete the electronic file from memory responsive to user input designating deletion while the window is open on the display and responsive to determining that the user is authorized to delete the file. 
     
     
         21 . The electronic system of  claim 12  wherein the location is a first location in the memory, and wherein the processor is configured to delete the electronic file by deleting the electronic file from the first location in the memory and saving the electronic file in a second location in the memory. 
     
     
         22 . The electronic system of  claim 12  wherein the processor is configured to delete the electronic file by permanently deleting the electronic file from the memory. 
     
     
         23 . A computer program product comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program coded embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising:
 computer readable program code configured to render a visual representation of an electronic file in a window on a display wherein the electronic file is in a location in memory of an electronic system; 
 computer readable program code configured to close the window including the visual representation of the electronic file on the display responsive to user input designating deletion while the window including the visual representation of the electronic file is open on the display, and 
 computer readable program code configured to delete the electronic file from the location in the memory responsive to the user input designating deletion.